Thursday, April 5, 2012

Treasures of the Week: 2nd Edition

And just like that another week's whipped past and I've once again accumulated quite a varied and large amount of assorted treasures. I am quite pleased with what my browsing has both forced and laid before me. I really love coming across unexpected videos that normally the mere thought of would make me cringe and thus proceed to the beginning stages of an impressive vomit, but then I click the play button and I'm genuinely bewildered at both my resistance to closing the browser and the AWESOMENESS that this video in no way entailed from its title. YouTube has taught us never to let a title or tag dictate our actions, unless that title says "My wedding with Justin Beiber" or "Avatar 2" because you will be rick rolled and you will feel stupid. Here is the 2nd edition to 5 prettaayy interesting treasures of the week.

(1) Drew Ryniewicz - First Audition on X-factor 2011

Okay first of all shes 14. Second of all, I'm not a "belieber" (blasphemy!), but I do respect the kid, real talk he seems like a real chill/nice person. BUT YO, after this I think I actually like a J.Beiber song. If you want to skip to the singing it's at 2:33. I was pretty blown away from watching her, because I did not at all expect anything like this in the most remote way possible. I agree with Nicole and I also agree with L.A Reid's finger action sing-a-long. Can't beat the mum tripping out backstage and her son on the side trying to low key grab her arm like "mum calm down your excited arm swinging will actually knock out the guy in purple." Her mum reminds me way too much of my own, and I think she kind of encompasses what most mothers would do in that situation....an uncoordinated Krump. Good job Drew.

2) Interview with Pro-Skater Lance Mountain by Crail Couch

Its only 2mins watch this, remember what YouTube taught us, no judgy by title! Lance Mountain was a hugely popular skater in the 80s, and immensely contributed to the development of the skateboarding world alongside other big names like Tony Hawk, Mike McGill and Steve Caballero . He was also 1/5 of the legendary Bones Brigade, if you didn't know, now you know. AND he also helped invent those finger boards that kids use to do little tricks with everywhere. I would also like to mention he was sponsored by Stussy. In other words, hes an O.G. AND he is a brother down for Christ, servant to the living King. COOL. So as random as I am, of course I would come across something like this. This interview is so fresh man, it's so funny and how about that smile, he's just such a classic guy. The questions are just what you'd ask naturally in a conversation and Mountain seems to respond like he would if that guy was a friend, a cousin or a neighbor across the street. It was just one of those few interviews where I felt like I could join in, like when he makes that Laker reference, Lebron doesn't even play in the West coast, ohh Lance, you so silly. Crack up though when he's talking about that "slam-mam" kid, then the next question goes "What was his real name" hahaha ohh you skaters are too much.

3) Gwyneth Paltrow covers Haper's Bazaar March 2012 Issue

Absolutely some of the best editorial photos I have ever seen of a celebrity. She's 39, not an inch to pinch on that body, phenomenal. All credit to photographer Terry Richardson for these super slick, playfully firm and captivating images of the mother of 2. She wears a Anthony Vaccarello dress and Givenchy sandals...as you would right?

4) When we think we're smarter than God

We've all been on this train, and taken it all the way to Heartbreak Lake, Fail land, Guilt forest or Emptiness Beach. Hilarious Jesus lover Justin Cox tweeted this picture and at first glance I was like "wait what does that small print say?". I wasn't humored in the least as I kept looking at the picture. I felt a mix of relief, contentment and conviction that I wasn't in that position that boy is in anymore. THEN I laughed because Jesus' face is like "BOY YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN, I GOT YOU, JUST NOT THIS ONE!!" Way too many of us don't want to understand the plan or we do but for some reason we think we have a better one and if that's how you think then YOU OBVIOUSLY don't really understand the plan. Single-hood is an important and perfect place to be because it is here that you lay your foundations and develop spiritual, personal and financial maturity. It's also a place where God will use you in ways that would not be possible if you were in a relationship (I Corinthians 7:32-35), so let's all just calm down cos' pretty sure He knows what He's doing.

5) Rapper Propaganda on challenges and sacrifices that describe him

Speaking as a Pacific Islander, our youth is widely Americanized in what we eat, what we listen to, watch, wear etc. We have reappropriated and taken on American culture fusing it with our own creating a hybrid that many of us have grown to hate and love, it's ironic. What's even more ironic is the fact that Americans have no idea the extent to which their culture is affecting remote parts of the world in aspects of thought, speech and social interaction. And yet when they come across it, they're surprised? When I first saw this video, I'll be honest a trickle of anger fell on me when he described how "shook" he was that this man all the way in Cameroon would know a term like "nigga". Wake up America you are on a peda stool, you are swaying the habits of this world whether you like it or not, this has been a reality for hundreds of years. But when Propaganda started sharing about this whole new perspective and responsibility of correcting these misconceptions of the American experience, I just thought "wow I'm glad there are God fearing people out there who are socially, culturally and globally aware of the Americanized epidemic". Yes, there is a loss of the emphasis on conserving our Pacific heritage among our youth because of misconceptions of the American experience, but the blame cannot be laid upon that alone, like Propaganda we too have the obligation to correct our own perceptions of identity.